Why sit a KSOL 11+ Mock Exam?

Practice makes perfect…

Posted 23rd November 2018

With over ten years’ experience with 11+ mock exams, KSOL use in-depth research and past statistics to accurately pinpoint your child’s areas for improvement so you can tackle these head on.

What’s more, the 11+ entrance exams are vastly different to tests set in school, so it is vital that your child becomes familiar with not only the format and content, but also the atmosphere of these events.

With this in mind, here are 6 key reasons why you should consider enrolling your child onto a KSOL 11plus mock exam:

1.) Get your child used to a formal exam environment

As most Year 5 children will not have experienced formal exams before, getting your child accustomed to the exam format will provide an air of familiarity and comfort on the day. If the exam environment is recognisable to your child, this should immediately place them at ease. KSOL carries out extensive research every year to ensure that our mock exams reflect the most up-to-date format and 11+ questions. The exam is audio administered and delivered in controlled, timed conditions – making it as close as possible to the real day!

With a friendly team of staff and attentive invigilators, a KSOL mock exam is a stress-free, insightful experience.

2.) Ensure their confidence and concentration is at its best

A child who has practised the unique format of the 11+ exam and its style of questions should feel much more reassured and confident on the entrance exam date. Children will get plenty of practice when it comes to focusing their attention and concentrating on the task at hand. They will need to listen carefully to instructions, manage their time effectively and sit quietly for quite a lengthy amount of time. This can prove challenging to some children and therefore worth practising as much as possible!

3.) Identify your child’s weaker areas

A full 11+ mock exam gives you the added benefit of finding out exactly where your child sits with their revision preparation. KSOL mock exams provide both a break down of your child’s performance within each subject area and also a group ranking which indicates exactly where your child sits in relation to others. Maybe they performed lower than you expected in maths, or perhaps they lost marks towards the end of each section.

If your child is studying with KSOL, this valuable insight into their 11+ preparation enables our tutors to incorporate this information into their 11+ programme and tailor their timetable accordingly. If they are not enrolled on one of KSOL’s award winning courses already, then sitting a KSOL mock exam will kick start their studies and ensure that they are working on any weaker areas straight away.

If you require further insight into your child’s exam result, KSOL offers a further detailed exam report. For students who scored lower than expected, this report is a fantastic resource, detailing the topic scores within each individual subject and any notes the invigilators made about your child. Our invigilators are your eyes and ears; they will monitor how your child copes throughout the paper and comment upon their techniques.

4.) Help set an effective revision timetable

With an exact understanding of your child’s weaker areas, you can create a structured revision timetable which ensures you prioritise the subjects which need more work.

A revision timetable should be structured yet flexible. If a specific subject takes longer than others, you must be able to exert a degree of flexibility. Furthermore, making allowances for activities and visiting friends all help to reduce stress and increase motivation, ensuring they’re ready to get their revision cap on when necessary!

5.) Helps set check-points throughout the year

KSOL mock exams are strategically spread across alternate months, allowing for plenty of revision time in between events. KSOL set each mock exam at the level your child is expected to have reached at particular points within their 11 plus studies. Therefore, each exam gradually increases in difficulty in the lead up to the 11+ entrance exam, ensuring the highest level of preparation.

Mock exams should be considered checkpoints, a period of reflection which helps set goals and targets to guide you through your 11+ journey.

6.) Geographically tailored 11+ papers

KSOL have an expert team dedicated to ensuring that every exam is specific to each region and reflective of the real thing. As children become comfortable with the look and feel of the exam within their geographic area, they will be able to focus on answering the questions to the best of their ability.

For more information regarding the 11 plus results day, please don’t hesitate to contact our education advisers on 0121 733 6558.